There was pandemonium at the vicinity of the police headquarters in Makurdi, Benue State on Thursday when an abandoned car caused a stir as people scampered for safety.

Saturday Tribune leanrt that an Audi 80 with registration no AQ 740 MKD which was parked at the front of the Stanbic IBTC Bank opposite the police headquarters, Makurdi, drew the suspicion of people and the policemen at the entrance of the headquarters, who thought the car was laddened with explosives.

It was gathered that the anti-bomb squad, who later moved to the vehicle with their gadgets to ascertain whether the vehicle was wired with explosives later found nothing in the vehicle.

An eyewitness said that the vehicle had been parked there for a long time which attracted the anti-bomb squad who rushed to the car, only to discover that there was nothing in it. The vehicle was later pushed inot the premises of the police headquarter.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ezeala, who confirmed the incident said that there was no bomb found in the vehicle as alleged.

The police spokesman who spoke on the phone stated that further investigation by the police revealed that the owner of the car abandoned the vehicle to look for fuel, while his long delay created suspicion among the people.

Meanwhile, People suspected to be cult members  struck on Thursday night along Ankpa quarters, Makurdi, Benue state capital, leaving a 27-year-old father of two dead.

Saturday Tribune visited the scene of the incident on Friday and learnt that the deceased was hacked down by people suspected to be cult members who stormed his residence around 8:00pm.

According to eye witnesses, the deceased, one Simon John, an okada rider was in the neighbourhood when someone invited him for a discussion, only to be surrounded by people numbering about 30, armed with cutlasses, axes and guns.

The wife of the deceased, Mrs Abigael John, who spoke to Saturday Tribune said she was on her way back home from where she had gone to purchase some things only for her to be invited by a neighbour to behold the lifeless body of her husband.

The deceased’s elder brother, Chia, said that his brother was in the next house chatting with his colleagues when someone invited him for a discussion only to be surrounded by others who, according to him, had hiden somewhere and butchered him to death.

Chia stated that what they heard was sporadic gunshots, which made the people around to scamper for safety only for them to rush to the scene shortly after to behold the lifeless body of his brother.

He added that the police later came and carried the corpse away.

The mother of the deceased who did not want her name in print while speaking with Saturday Tribune as she sobbed intermittently, said that her son was a member of a vigilance group in the area, adding that he was an easy-going person.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ezeala, who confirmed the report, said that he was yet to receive details of the incident.